Saskatchewan @ Ottawa preview

Last Meeting ( Oct 7, 2016 ) Saskatchewan 32, Ottawa 30

The Ottawa Redblacks look to bounce back from a humbling Week 14 loss when they host the Saskatchewan Roughriders on Friday. The Redblacks were held to their lowest point total of the season as they suffered a 29-9 setback to the Winnipeg Blue Bombers with third-string quarterback Ryan Lindley under centre and hope to get back on track by beating the Roughriders for the first time in more than two years.

Ottawa has dropped five of its last six games against West Division opponents but can take sole possession of first place in the East Division with its third home win of 2017.Saskatchewan suffered a setback in its playoff push when it dropped a 15-9 decision to the Calgary Stampeders. The Roughriders were on the march for a potential game-winning touchdown in the final minute but fumbled in Calgary territory to drop their 10th straight meeting with the Stampeders and hope to rebound with their third consecutive victory against the Redblacks. Kevin Glenn left the game early in the fourth quarter after appearing to re-aggravate a hand injury, which forced him to miss the 27-19 win over the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in Week 13, but coach Chris Jones revealed later that the decision to pull him in favour of Brandon Bridge was performance related.

TV: 7 p.m. ET, TSN

ABOUT THE ROUGHRIDERS (6-6): Naaman Roosevelt, who leads the team with 929 receiving yards, was knocked unconscious after taking a helmet-to-helmet hit against Calgary and is undergoing the concussion protocol. Glenn went 12-of-19 for 127 yards but was consistently flushed from the pocket and was sacked four times while Bridge threw for 91 yards and the only touchdown against the Stampeders but Jones revealed that Glenn will remain the starter. Saskatchewan signed former Alabama Crimson Tide star Trent Richardson, who was taken third overall by the Cleveland Browns in the 2012 NFL Draft, before being released by the Indianapolis Colts in 2014.

ABOUT THE REDBLACKS (5-8-1): Lindley struggled in his first CFL start as he finished 16-of-36 for 151 yards against Winnipeg with starting quarterback Trevor Harris (shoulder) and backup Drew Tate (upper body) unavailable. "It was crap and I didn't play well enough," Lindley told reporters. "I've always been harsh on myself so I'll go back to the drawing board and we'll do better next time." William Powell was one of the lone bright spots for Ottawa as he rushed for 107 yards and a touchdown to give him 251 yards on the ground in his last two games after missing the previous three contests with a lower-body injury.

EXTRA POINTS

1. The last two meetings have been decided by a combined three points.

2. Saskatchewan has won three straight games against East Division opponents.

3. Ottawa is 2-4-1 at home in 2017.

PREDICTION: Roughriders 27, Redblacks 24